Crime down, business up along Randleman Road in Greensboro

This is an archived article and the information in the article may be outdated. Please look at the time stamp on the story to see when it was last updated.

Please enable Javascript to watch this video

GREENSBORO, N.C. -- More than a dozen new businesses have opened up on Randleman Road in the past year, a trend officials say is caused by years of cracking down on crime and forming relationships with businesses and community members.

"We're looking at doing a lot for the community," said Robert Spates, who opened Ro-Rees Catering Restaurant with his wife on Randleman Road in February.

"We wanted to be right there -- a part of the new development," Spates said.

Fifteen businesses have opened in the area in the past 12 months -- an area once known for its high crime.

"A lot of people were afraid to come to Randleman Road," Spates said.

Greensboro Police Officer Tom Boyer has been leading the fight to change that.

"This is a much better area than people have perceived it to be from the past," said Boyer who is a community resource officer for the area.

For the past two years, police have stepped up patrols, created community resource units and have held monthly meetings with business owners and residents.

"The more people take ownership of the area, the less crime you're going to have," Boyer said.

Since 2011, auto theft, home burglaries and larcenies have dropped dramatically.

j

Leah

They seem to be leaving off the little issue of heroin in that area, which along w/ Vandalia and S. Holden area has been in a bad cycle since at least 2005, maybe earlier. Used to be a lot of RX pills sold in that area, now the addicts cant get oxy so they buy dope instead.